Signal analysis devices such as Logic Analyzers, digital storage oscilloscopes (DSOs) and the like, are utilized to monitor the signal activity in a wide variety of systems. For example, Logic Analyzers provide the capability to monitor the logical activity of a digital system. The Logic Analyzer is an instrument having, typically, dozens of input channels, a relatively large memory and the ability to disassemble/decode bus states and phases. Typically, a Logic Analyzer is electrically coupled to a device or system under test via a hardware interface to capture data while the device or system under test steps through a process. The Logic Analyzer tests for a preset condition or trigger to control the recording or processing of the signals generated by the device or system under test. The conditions or triggers used for Logic Analyzers are typically digital representations of events.
One problem with present digital signal analysis devices, such as Logic Analyzers, is that they capture data at a very low level of detail. The low detail level makes it difficult to correlate analog signal anomalies with analyzer data, thereby inhibiting the search for the root cause of an analog anomaly within the collected analyzer data.
In an attempt to correct for this shortcoming, some Logic Analyzers include “oscilloscopes on a board” that plug into the Logic Analyzer mainframe. These oscilloscopes are separate instruments that are contained in the same enclosure as the Logic Analyzer. In such combination instruments, in order to trigger on analog events (e.g., a runt signal), the user must attach two probes to the same point. The first probe is the digital logic probe for the Logic Analyzer and the second probe is the analog probe for the device under test. Such connection is necessary because the analog-to-digital conversion for the Logic Analyzer is performed in the probe tip. A trigger out signal from the scope unit must then be connected to the Logic Analyzer external trigger input.
Utilizing such combination instruments though, leads to increased costs, a larger form factor and timing differences which can result in measurement inaccuracy.